The planned introduction of satellite-based navigation at BER airport is causing concern in the surrounding communities. Mayors and residents fear that the change could lead to new flight routes and thus to greater noise pollution over densely populated areas. Although the Brandenburg Ministry of Transport refers to information from the German air traffic control that the changes would not cause any changes to routes in the vicinity of the airport, doubts remain.
The background to the change is an EU regulation that provides for the introduction of so-called Performance Based Navigation (PBN) in all member states by 2030. This satellite-based system is intended to replace ground-based navigation and make air traffic more efficient. While the international ICAO guidelines promise, among other things, better avoidance of densely populated areas, critics fear the opposite: individual departure routes could be redefined and some communities could be flown over directly.
Five municipalities, including Zeuthen, have submitted compromise proposals to the aircraft noise commission. They propose that certain points for the departure routes be set so that aircraft can fly through the so-called Hoffmann curves earlier and avoid populated areas. These measures are based on successful models that have already been implemented at Frankfurt am Main Airport. In addition, the municipalities are calling for the introduction of the new system to be postponed, as Europe-wide implementation is not planned until 2030.
The mayors also criticize the fact that the planned application for the new procedure at the Federal Supervisory Office for Air Traffic Control without sufficient involvement of the Aircraft Noise Commission is not legal. They demand more transparency and a thorough examination of the effects on the affected communities.
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